Lying In Wait
by LoverOfKnowledge
Summary: Katniss is in the 74th Annual Hunger Games when the games are suddenly cancelled. The Capitol has a new TV hit idea in store; tag teams, torture, dying love, and of course, killing. Katniss is okay with the idea, until she finds out who her partner in crime is.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is my first fan fic since being back on the site! I have been thinking of this idea for awhile and I hope you guys love it! Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.**

I looked down yet another time at the five sleeping forms below me. Dawn had just broken across the Arena and I had just woken up about ten minutes before orange painted the black sky. I am surprised I had even slept considering that a bunch on Careers were asleep below me. Peeta was still among them, which to say the least made me disappointed in him, as though I was his mother and he had disobeyed me in some way. When Haymitch gave us the whole "be in love" plan, I didn't imagine it going this way.

I sighed and leaned my head back, looking up at the branches above me. The sun was now up in the sky and it warmed my face. My mind wondered to how Prim, my mother, and Gale were doing. Thinking about them made my heart ache and I shook my head. _They will be fine. Gale is taking care of them._

I heard something then. It sounded like an animal but more human. My head snapped over to my left and I saw the girl from District Eleven, Rue. She was in a tree a little ways from me. She was standing up on the branch, her brown eyes big and her black hair tousled.

I gave her a look I am pretty sure of shock at the sight of seeing a new person, but it changed quickly to confusion as she pointed above me repeatedly. I looked up and my eyes widened when I saw what she had been motioning to. A trackerjacker nest.

I looked back over to her and she now was pointing at my hunters below who were still sleeping.

I nodded, understanding. I then got up, packing my sleeping bag and rope quietly and quickly. I grabbed the knife that I had and climbed up a branch that was almost even with the one that contained the nest. I immediately began to cut at the branch, wincing at how loud the blade sounded against the wood. I didn't stop or even hesitate however. I knew that my killers would wake soon for I glanced down several times, seeing them stir. I got on my tip toes so I could get a better angle to cut from, but in the process it brought me that much closer to the beasts that lay within.

A few had already been flying about the nest and they were beginning to take notice of me. They began to fly around me and my cutting speed increased. They began to get even closer to me and I tried to bat them away with my free hand. That is when they began to sting me. It hurt worse than I ever expected it to. I had been bitten and stung by countless bugs back in Twelve, but this pain was just ridiculous.

I continued to cut and I felt one get me on the neck. I made a small noise of pain and saw out of the corner of my eye Glimmer and Clove stir. I was cutting even faster by that time as more trackerjackers stung at my face, neck and hands. I was feeling as though I couldn't continue when I gave the jerk to the knife that sent the branch flying to the ground. The jackers that had been around me noticed and went down with the nest, obviously confused to why their home was now falling to the ground.

It landed with a crash, sending thousands of trackerjackers flying with a huge buzz.

The screams came next.

I'm pretty sure I heard Glimmer scream first. Either it was her or Clove. They all jumped up, surrounded by a mass of flying killers. The boys hollered and yelled for the girls to run away as they did. Clove managed to catch up with them but Glimmer was too slow. That was all that I saw before I began to make my way down the trunk of the tree.

By the time I made it to the ground, the screaming had stopped. I knew that much. However, I was starting to feel the effects of the trackerjackers venom. It coursed through my veins and my vision seemed to go in and out of focus. I was trying to walk straight, but I stumbled here and there.

I soon came upon Glimmer's body. She was swollen like a tomato on every inch of her. Her eyes were open in a vacant stare. I looked to the side of her body and saw what I had wanted this whole time.

A bow and arrows.

I took them gently and slowly as if I had all of the time in world. I put my arrows on my back and the bow in my hand when I heard someone screaming my name. I looked up to find Peeta running at me. No, wait, a few Peetas running at me.

I blinked hard many time until there was just one of him.

"Katniss!" he yelled and got down beside me. "Katniss, what are you doing? Run! Go!"

I began to run and run and run. I was feeling worse by the minute. I couldn't stand up straight and my head swooned. I grabbed onto trees and anything that I could to not fall down. I did fall eventually however. I remember hitting the ground and everything going black.

My eyes flew open and I breathed hard. I got plenty of oxygen considering my face was hooked up to an oxygen mask. I took it off of me immediately and sat up. I looked around me and was shocked to find that I was on one of the ships that took us to the Arena. Confusion clung to my body and mind like a cloak. I looked down at my hands and saw no traces of trackerjacker stings. I felt my neck as well, finding none there either. I did however find IV's hooked up to both of my arms and next to me were bags of fluids that they were pouring into me. I immediately removed them and got up and while doing so, I couldn't help but think of a happy and an almost impossible thing.

Had I won?

I heard voices in the next room. I automatically tensed and walked to the door cautiously.

"What the fuck is wrong with this government?" I heard Haymitch snarl. "They start the Games and stop them because they have thought of an even better televised event? Are you kidding me?"

"Haymitch, please do not use such vulgar language around me," I heard Effie reported back with a huff. "I am just as upset as you are but that does not mean that we have to curse."

"Well excuse me for seeing past Capitol bullshit and expressing my feelings," Haymitch snapped back.

"Well," Effie huffed, "You should be happy that they both made it that far."

"That only makes this situation more fucked up!" Haymitch reported. "Two people from the same District are both still alive, yet they aren't even paired up together in this new TV tag team match?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, the door now closing behind me as I walked into the room.

Haymitch didn't look surprised at my arrival. His expression stayed the same as it had sounded in his voice. He didn't even blink.

Effie, however, looked as though I had just crept up on her and touched her inappropriately. "Katniss!" she gasped, her eyes wide under her long and fake eyelashes. She was wearing a crazy outfit and hair as usual and looked very stressed out, which was unusual.

"Why hello, sweet heart," Haymitch muttered.

"What is going on?" I repeated.

"Katniss," Effie repeated, "you do not get to know what is going on just yet."

"The hell she doesn't," Haymitch snapped. "They are already pulling this crazy ass stunt so I am going to tell her."

Effie opened her mouth to argue, but she looked at both me and Haymitch and quickly shut it.

I looked back at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Right after you passed out from the venom," Haymitch began. "They cancelled the games."

My eyes widened considerably. "I don't understand," I said.

"Yeah, and neither did any of the millions of people who were watching the games until just about an hour ago," Haymitch continued. "The Capitol and President Snow thought of a much more exciting TV event that would spice up the entertainment of the games."

"Why not wait till the next games?" I asked. "Why decide to do it in the middle of these games?"

"That is a very good question to which I do not have the answer to, sweetheart," Haymitch said, giving me a look as though he knew more than what he was letting on. "Anyway, the new plan that they came up with is a team event. There will still be an Arena and there will still be fighting and killing; only this time you are being assigned a partner. Another tribute to be more exact. Basically want they want you and your partner to do is to find and locate other teams of two and torture them for eight to twelve hours before you actually kill them."

I blinked. "So, basically it's like alliances but with longer killing periods."

Haymitch sighed. "Yes and no. You do not get to pick your partner so technically not an alliance. You also do not get to choose how you want to torture your victim. The audience at home decides that for you."

I swallowed hard. This was just downright sick. "How many of us are there?"

"They are enough live tributes for five teams of two," Haymitch replied.

"Okay," I said. "So, me and Peeta have to work together now? Or is he going to crap out like last time?"

Haymitch stayed silent.

Effie sighed, "Katniss, Peeta is Clove's partner."

I blinked several times. "Why?" I managed to get out.

"Great question," Haymitch muttered.

"Who the hell is my partner?" I asked sternly.

They both remained silent.

I was about ready to yell when the door at the end of the hallway opened and in walked a face I knew all too well.

"Ms. Everdeen," said a Peacekeeper who I only now noticed. "Meet your partner in the First Annual Lying In Wait Games."

"You have got o be fucking kidding me," Haymitch shouted.

Effie gasped in shock and a little bit of horror.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything.

All I could do was watch as my partner's mouth moved. "May the odds be ever in our favor," spoke Cato, from District Two.

**Well then XD That is all for chapter one! Hope you guys loved it! Favorite, Follow, and Comment if you want and crave more!**

**LoverOfKnowledge**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two is here! Sorry for the wait! Started a new job and all :D Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.**

"Are we allowed to kill our partners?" I hissed as I watched the blonde headed psycho who sat opposite of me.

Cato smirked. "Me and you think alike," his voiced almost purred. "How surprising."

"Why?" I snapped. "Because I am from a lower District."

"Yes," Cato reported right back, the smirk never leaving his face.

"Both of you need to calm down," interjected Martin Volintry. Martin was our new Mentor. Apparently since this was a whole new event, they sent down a panel of very trained killers who have a specialty in torturing people. Martin was originally a Capitol agent who tortured witnesses to get information. Every team had a Mentor like him which even out the playing field. Or so it appeared. To me, Martin looked as though he could smash my skull with his bare hands. He was 6'7" with midnight hair and blue eyes. He could've been attractive if he wasn't the size of two men put together and pure muscle. "We are never going to stand a chance if you two do not learn how to get along."

I snapped my glare over to him. "Were you the only person in the whole damn nation who wasn't watching the Games? He was hunting my down specifically."

"That is a complement," Cato interjected. "I found you to be a very skilled match so I wanted you dead as soon as possible."

"Wow," I gushed sarcastically, "Thank you so much, Cato. Why didn't you just say so? I would have let you kill me right then and there."

"I thought it was obvious," Cato replied with a shrug. "I didn't feel like I had to tell you for you to understand."

I glared at him. "You are mocking me."

"Am not! You stated something that could have been easily seen."

"I was being sarcastic!"

"Well, you need to work on that, TrackerJacker."

"Excuse me?" I hissed.

"It is your new nickname," he announced.

"No!"

"Yes! It is very fitting considering our last meeting."

"Enough!" Martin growled loudly. His blue eyes seemed to have turned black. Cato and I both shut our mouths as he spoke, "I am not going to have you two get yourselves killed because of what has happened in the past. You guys have a whole extra week to live so instead of whining and bitching to me and at each other, go train and eat and be thankful that you still can."

We both remained silent as he looked from me to Cato and then back to me. "Now that that is out of the way, we start training in two hours. Go and put on your new suits."

"Are we going to be scored again?" I asked.

Martin shook his head. "Not individually. At the end of the week, you will perform your talents in front of the judges to together. As a team."

Cato and I's eyes found each other and I saw disgust in his that matched my own. "I see," I hissed slightly.

"There will also still be a Tag Team Parade and interviews. We will discuss later our strategy for getting sponsors since you and Mellarks little love fest isn't much use now," Martin finished.

I stiffened instantly. I didn't want Cato to know it had been a lie but he didn't even blink when Martin said those words. Instead, he said something that shocked me. "I think on lover boy's end it was real."

I was shocked into silence and he smirked at me.

"No matter," Martin said, "we must work it somehow. We will figure all that later tonight. Now, go get ready to train."

Me and Cato both got up at the same time when Martin said "Only one at a time. I am not going to have one of my team members die from a knife to the neck in the hallway."

I looked at Cato, hate filling my vision.

He just grinned and bowed to me, putting his arm out towards the door. "Ladies first," he said.

I rolled my eyes and walked out. I went up the elevator to the District Twelve floor and tried to think of how we were going to train when our main job was to torture people.

A few hours later, I was back in the Training Center. It was very different however. The other teams were there as well, but we were separated into five glass rooms. I could see all of them clearly as though the glass wasn't even there. The panel of judges still loomed overhead as usual. We all wore the same jumpsuits that we had worn originally. It looked the same, but felt as though this was a whole new place and I was just seeing it for the first time.

I looked to my right and saw Peeta and Clove. Peeta did not look any different despite being slightly pale and obviously nervous around his partner. Clove seemed pissed out of her mind, sending death glares at Peeta as their Mentor was talking to them.

I tried to catch Peeta's eye but he never even looked in my direction. I frowned and gave up, looking over just in time to see Cato and Martin both walk in.

"Katniss," Martin said, nodding his head in a hello.

I nodded back at him and looked at Cato. He didn't offer any greeting and neither did I. We glared at each other instead and I heard Martin chuckle in amusement.

"This is going to be fun," he said and got out a tiny metal box.

I now had my eyes and attention on the strange object. "What is that?" I asked.

"Patience," was all that Martin said as he messed with it. "This will take a moment."

I sighed and not knowing what else to do, I stretched.

I felt Cato's eyes on me and I snapped a glare at him. "What?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "You are just amusing," he said, his green eyes still on mine. "That is at least one good quality in you."

"Funny," I snapped. "I haven't found any good qualities in you yet."

"Okay, children," Martin said. "I am almost done."

We both looked at him with interest as he knelt down and sat the object on the ground. He then touched the top of it one time and it began to transform. Martin jumped away quickly as the metal object turned into a chair. I was deeply confused and Cato appeared to be too but not for long.

A few seconds later, an image seemed to be appearing in the chair. I and Cato both stepped closer with curiously only to lunge back when a man appeared out of nowhere. He was sitting on the chair that had been empty only moments ago. He was dressed in a button up shirt and jeans and appeared to be totally human. He had brown hair and brown eyes. His eyes were wide with fear and he was struggling for some reason. I looked down at him hands and saw that they were bound to the chair as were his legs. I could hear him breathing hard, obviously terrified.

Martin was smiling widely. "Meet ADAM; Automatic Dimensional Appearing Mechanism."

"He's a machine?" I managed to get out through my wonder.

"Yes," Martin replied. "But with all the real qualities of a person." After he said this, he went over and hit the man's shoulder. They made solid contact and ADAM looked at Martin with fear. Martin laughed. "Amazing isn't it."

"Very," Cato said before I could, his eyes wide with wonder. "What do we do with him?"

Martin smiled. "Why, we torture him of course," and with that, before me and Cato could even react, Martin took out a knife and made a long cut from ADAM's shoulder and all the way down his arm. Martin made sure not to hit anything major so that it was purely to cause pain.

ADAM screamed in pain. His scream was so loud that I covered my ears and Cato winced. I looked around and was shocked to see that no one else even looked over in our direction. The glass was sound proof, I realized.

I tired back to see ADAM crying and whimpering.

Martin came over to me and handed me the knife that was dripping with ADAM's blood. "Your turn," was all he said.

Tada! That concludes Chapter Two! Hope you all love it! Favorite, Follow, and Comment for more!

LoverOfKnowledge


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three is here! Sorry about the delay! I have been sick D: But I am all better and have been writing! Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.**

"You have got to be joking," I managed to get out through my shock.

Martin's joy all but disappeared. "What do you mean 'joking?'' he asked with a frown.

"This," I paused. "This is sick."

Martin shook his head in disbelief. "Katniss, this is what you will be doing from now on."

"No!" I snapped. "This is not what I signed up for."

"What exactly did you sign up for?" he snapped right back. "A game where you kill kids on live television? Well, guess what, this is the exact same shit."

"This is nothing like that," I reported.

"Yes it is," Martin replied. "It is exactly the same except the audience gets to interact more."

"By having us torture people rather than make it quick?"

"Yes."

"Are you hearing yourself?"

"I don't know, are you hearing you?"

I was about to yell when Cato took the knife from me and walked up to ADAM. Without even blinking, he made a long cut up ADAM's leg, very slow and carefully like Martin had done only moments before. ADAM screamed yet again and cried, his face twisted in pain and agony.

"Stop!" I demanded.

Cato ignored me and did the same thing to the other leg, making ADAM let out more screams and cries.

"Enough!" I yelled.

Martin watched Cato with pride and surprise, but a very happy surprise. As though, he was a gift from God Himself.

I couldn't watch this. I couldn't bear this. I went over and grabbed the knife from Cato's hand and stabbed ADAM right in the forehead.

ADAM's tear filled eyes widened, but I saw relief in them before he flickered away, like a bad image and then he was gone. The knife dropped the ground with a clank and our cubicle was now deadly silent.

I turned around to face them, my heart pounding but I looked at them hard, no regrets flashing in my eyes.

Neither of them said anything.

Instead, Cato walked up to me and before I could even react, before Martin could even react, he hit me. Hard. He didn't punch me, but his flat hand did the trick just fine. The room seemed to spin, but I did not lose my balance. I automatically grabbed my face that was now burning and probably already bruising. I heard something and looked up, blinking hard several times.

Martin had restrained Cato, pinning his arms behind his back.

"You need to calm the hell down," Martin hissed.

Cato wasn't even paying attention to him. His icy eyes were on me as he spat, "You good for nothing bitch! You are weak, meek, and a god forsaken fool! You know nothing! How do you expect to get back to your bitch of a sister or that whore of a mother when you can't even torture something that isn't real?"

Red filled my vision and went at him, only to have Martin throw Cato back so that he could restrain me. "Really?" I spat. "At least I have a family! Yours probably only raised you to be a victor. Not to be a son or something to love and to care about, but something to use to get fame and glory for themselves. You are a legitimate tool and a good for nothing bastard!"

"Enough!" Martin yelled before Cato could even move towards me again. "Enough! You both are a team! If you want to see your loved ones again, I don't care how they are, you will shut up and work together, do you understand me?"

Me and Cato continued to glare at each other but didn't disagree with his statement.

"Good," he said and let us go. "Training is done for the day and I expect better behavior," after he said this, he looked at Cato, "and better participation," he said while looking at me.

I swallowed hard and clenched my jaw.

"Also, the Parade is tomorrow, so we will train early. After that you will met with your stylist."

"Cinna," I muttered.

"That is correct," Martin replied.

"Whoa whoa," Cato interjected. "What about my stylist?"

"The Capitol could only assign one stylist to each team and Cinna was a crowd favorite so do the math, Cato honestly. I know you have muscle but there must be some brain in there."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at the humor. It was amazing that only a few minutes ago I had been shaking with fury and now I was almost giggling.

Cato however just glared at us.

Martin chuckled. "Now now, don't be all hurt. Let's get you two to your new room."

My almost happiness all but ended right there. "We are staying within the same vicinity?" I snapped.

"Yes and you two will survive I promise you," Martin sighed and began to walk to the elevator. "You two are the two biggest babies I have ever seen."

I and Cato shared a glare before walking after him. We put him in between us on the elevator as well.

Martin just rolled his eyes and watched as we went up and up and up.

It seemed like the elevator ride to an eternity and it didn't help that me and the spawn of Satan kept glaring at each other.

The elevator finally stopped and we got out as quick as possible, leaving Martin in the dust.

He shook his head and led up to the room. It was huge, to be expected. It looked very similar to the one that I and Peeta had occupied previously but with more bright colors like purple and orange. Martin then showed us our individual rooms, which were right across the hall from each other.

I looked at Martin and he laughed. "Don't worry, Katniss. I will have guards at each of your room, making sure that you two don't kill each other in the night."

I sighed in relied which made Cato chuckle. "Scared of me, TrackerJacker?"

"Shut up," I snapped and walked into my room slamming it shut. I leaned my back against the door and slid to the floor. My room looked exactly as my old one had besides the new colors which matched the ones out in the living area. I leaned my head against the door and closed my eyes, trying to make sense of the day it had been. I had a partner who was my aid in winning and I hate him. I hate him so much. I groaned and rubbed my temples.

I then willed myself to get up. I took a shower and dried my hair. I them put on my pajamas and laid down in the soft bed. It was warm and plushy and made me close my eyes easily and quickly, only I saw Cato's hand colliding with my face every time I did. I groaned in frustration and hit the pillows repeatedly, hating that I could only think of his hand on my face. It was embarrassing and annoying at the same time, making me hate it even more.

I got up and walked out of my room. I needed a drink of water or something to get me to sleep. My stylist would be furious with me if I came in tomorrow looking like I had been punched multiple times. I frowned, already knowing that they would not care for the bruise that Cato had given me at all. It wasn't anything huge, but it was purple enough to make them throw a fit.

I sighed as I made it to the kitchen. I looked in the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. I took a drink and nearly spit it all out when I saw Cato directly to my right. Instead, I swallowed it too fast and had a cough attack.

He grinned with amusement and even chuckled. "You okay there?"

Once I had managed to calm down, I gave him a confused look. "Am I okay? What the hell kind of question is that?"

He shrugged. "Just making conversation."

"Wait," I paused. "How the hell did we get past our rooms? Weren't there suppose to be guards?"

"I convinced our dear trainer to not get any," he replied with a grin.

I swallowed hard. "Why? So that you could give me another bruise?"

"No," Cato replied and sighed. "Look, Twelve-,"

"Twelve?" I interrupted. "What the hell happened to TrackerJacker?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "So you do like the nickname."

"No," I snapped.

"Whatever," he replied and continued, "Anyway, I wanted to apologize."

I blinked. "What?"

"You know? I say I'm sorry and beg for forgiveness."

"Okay, smartass," I snapped. "Why the hell are you apologizing?"

"Because I hit you," he said. "I mean, not to gloat or anything, but it is written all over your face."

I glared at him. "What I meant was you are heartless and therefore you do not apologize."

"Well, I am so you can either accept it or don't. Either way, I honestly don't care. We are partners as much as we both may hate it, we are. And I need you just as much as you need me if we want to get out of this thing alive."

I said nothing for a moment. "Okay," was all that I said. It wasn't acceptance but it was an agreement.

He nodded. "Good," he said and went to move past me but stopped when he was right beside me. "Don't worry about the bruise and the parade tomorrow," he said softly. "That did not do anything to your beauty." And with that, he let the kitchen and a very shocked and confused me.

**WOW! That took too long XD Anyway Comment, Favorite, and Follow for more!**

**LoverOfKnowledge**


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